It can be difficult to transition back to school, especially for children that have speech and language delays. Like most parents/caregivers, you will have the usual list of things to do, such as getting new clothes and new school supplies. However, there may be more to worry about when sending your child with speech/language delays back to school, such as dealing with routines and providing extra support.
Here are some strategies that may help!
*Give some down-time - Try to give your child some time to himself/herself after they get home from school. They may be exhausted and may need some time to decompress. Bombarding them with questions about their day, their homework, etc. may cause added stress.
*Maintain contact - It may be helpful to stay in contact with your child’s teacher, speech therapist, guidance counselor, etc. Keeping in touch will not only help you stay in the loop with what they are working on, but it can also help to know what communication strategies are being utilized at school (and what things others have found to work).
*Start mornings with a routine - Try your best to keep each morning routine similar. It can be difficult to get your child/children up and moving for school, but establishing a routine can help them know what to expect on school days.
*Provide a simple communication checklist - Establishing a simple checklist for teachers and other school staff to fill out will help you remain in contact and up-to-date on how your child is doing in class. Put this checklist in a binder that will travel with your child back and forth to school! (You can also reference this if you have a few short minutes with the teacher at the end of the school day.)
You can include yes/no and short answer questions about your child’s day, such as “Timmy did well in the following areas today: _______”, or “Timmy ate his lunch today - yes/no”
*Utilize social stories - Social stories allow you and your child to discuss social behaviors and prepare for upcoming events. They will not only help your child prepare for heading back to school, they can also help your child deal with things that occur in school, such as upcoming field trips, lunch routines, making friends, etc.
For more information on social stories and for examples, visit: https://carolgraysocialstories.com/social-stories/what-is-it/
We hope this was helpful and we at The Aubin Aphasia Speech and Language Center are always here to help!
Reach out to one of our staff members today if you have any questions or concerns about your child’s speech and language development!
~ Victoria King, MA CCC-SLP
